Huddersfield Giants' Luke Robinson lies on ground after being hit by Sean O'Loughlin of Wigan Warriors during the Magic Weekend at Murrayfield. Photograph: Lynne Cameron/PA

Two distinct themes to discuss this week, as the fallout from the not-so-Magic Weekend in Murrayfield continues. Is British rugby league rife with thuggery as a result of the indulgence of the governing body? And is international rugby league a complete joke?

The first question has been raised by Huddersfield's Australian coach, Nathan Brown, as a direct result of the late, high hit by the Wigan captain, Sean O'Loughlin, on Luke Robinson that was the single most memorable incident of the seven matches in Edinburgh.

O'Loughlin was not punished at the time, and the Rugby Football League's video review panel decided that the incident merited only a caution, and no suspension, when they studied it on Tuesday. That left Brown understandably outraged.

"It's not about Wigan or Wigan players, it's about the whole game in general over here," he said, in press conference comments that are worth running in full.

"There's no risk to anyone doing anything late to players over here because if a referee sends anybody off they'll get sent to the judiciary and come away with a £300 fine and a slap on the wrist and all the heat comes back on the referee.

"It needs to be looked at. It's a serious issue in the game over here. At the moment, there's nothing done to protect the players. It wouldn't have happened in Australia because the player would have known if he had done it, he would have got into strife.

"Over here, it's a hundred times worse. Any player can take a risk, à la O'Loughlin the other day. People won't do it if someone is made an example of. If one of my players did what happened the other day, he should be sent off and be suspended for a month or two to discourage him from attacking people.

"I can show you pictures of my own players last year and this year who have been at the judiciary and shouldn't have got away with what they got away with. We had Darrell Griffin last year up for a grapple tackle and he should have been suspended for two weeks but he got nothing.

"I've been talking about this in the coaches' meetings two or three times. I've been told the theory is that there are not enough good players over here so we can't go suspending them for too long. Well, that's disgraceful.

"You've got to protect your best assets. Luke Robinson is as tough as any player I've ever seen and he should be protected, as should Sam Tomkins for Wigan and Sean Long – all the little people. Sure, hit them hard but hit them fair. The head is not an area that you should go near. The referees need better support from the judiciary."

It isn't only Huddersfield supporters who will miss Brown when he heads home at the end of the season.

Country strife

This is conclusive proof, if ever it were needed, that club comes before country. The bigger surprise is that the other two British forwards playing in Australia, Gareth Ellis and Mark Flanagan, will be available to the England coach, Steve McNamara, for his first match in charge of the national team – but only because their club, Wests Tigers, happen to have a bye that weekend.

To be honest, I can't get too worked up about Souths' stance. You have to wonder what purpose it would serve for Burgess to spend the best part of 48 hours on a plane to play in a match of far less intensity than the game against Brisbane Broncos for which the Rabbitohs are determined to keep him.

On the recent evidence of the Catalans Dragons' Super League performances, and France's capitulation against England in the corresponding game in Paris last year, McNamara could afford to pick a team from the Championship, and still expect to win.

Far better to be practical about this one, and keep Souths sweet so they are happy to release Burgess for the serious business, the Four Nations series against the Kangaroos, Kiwis and Kumuls at the end of the year.

As ever, your thoughts on any or all of the above encouraged below. Thanks for a terrific response to the Murrayfield blog that was posted on Monday, and any further comments on that, or this weekend's fascinating bill of fare, are welcome.

I'm fascinated to know if any Warrington supporters would swallow a defeat in the Challenge Cup blockbuster at Huddersfield on Saturday given the potential positive spin-off for their prospects of reaching and winning a first Super League Grand Final – which I'd guess is Tony Smith's priority this year.

Can Kevin Walters survive if the Catalans lose Sunday's televised tie against the Crusaders? And is there a realistic prospect of Gareth Thomas running out at Wembley? (By the way, do check out Don McRae's outstanding interview with Alfie from Tuesday's paper, if you haven't done so already)

Before all that there is the Australia versus New Zealand Test from Melbourne tomorrow morning, and the first two fifth-round cup ties tomorrow night: Bradford against Leigh, whose coach, Ian Millward, may quietly fancy his chances of making himself even less popular at Odsal against a Bulls team missing their main man Matt Orford; and Martin Crompton's mighty Blackpool Panthers, whose exotic cup run has already included victory over the Royal Navy in Portsmouth, facing the Leeds Rhinos at Headingley.